Batgirl #16

[superfangirl1]

Comments

[shadowpsykie]

.... Joker and James married.... oh god.... i just know some one some where is shipping this now and it's all Gail Simone's fault....

and really Gail excels at creepy ass stuff like this...

[sinisterlink]

".... Joker and James married.... "

From what I've seen of James, the both of them would probably get on surprisingly well. Bring on the fan fiction. :p

Infernal Matrimony

[blue_bolt]

Well let's see:

Joker is a Psychopathic Schizophrenic Narcissist and James is a Sociopathic... uh something I guess, I haven't really followed his escapades.

I guess they'd keep trying to kill each other morning, afternoon and night while making little romantic quips - "I apologize darling I rarely miss!", or "Well I know you wanted to leave me breathless but I've still got more to go left in me."

So many possible homicidal double entendres - it would be lovely, just lovely.

Re: Infernal Matrimony

[insolent_one]

As a youtube version of Deadpool would say: "I smell sitcom!"

Joker & James! They're both insane!
Everyday is a day for murder and games!
Who will they cripple, who will they stab?
Which one of them will end up on a slab?
Joker & James!
Crazy and crazy in love!
Raining down hell on you from up above!

Re: Infernal Matrimony

[shadowpsykie]

oh Lord....what have i started.....

Re: Infernal Matrimony

[icon_uk]

Sort of Gomez and Morticia... but actually creepy.

Mod Note

[aeka]

Please avoid applying a non-canonical mental health diagnosis (in this case schizophrenia) onto a character where it is not applicable, as it greatly misrepresents those who live with the disorder.

Re: Mod Note

[jlroberson]

Not to be nitpicky and definitely not argumentative, but in fact there is a Dick Sprang Joker story reprinted in GREATEST JOKER STORIES EVER TOLD where the Joker is diagnosed as a sufferer of "hebephrenic" disorder, defined thusly:
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/hebephrenic
"hebephrenic - suffering from a form of schizophrenia characterized by foolish mannerisms and senseless laughter along with delusions and regressive behavior."
More here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disorganized_schizophrenia

So it's something that in fact is in the canon, however accurate or not, that comes from DC itself.

Re: Mod Note

[icon_uk]

Well, not really. The Joker was diagnosed with hebephrenic schizophrenia at one point, but A) That was in 1952 and thus a very different Joker and B) He was faking it. (In order to get committed to an asylum rather than jail, since the Joker was NOT held to be insane in those days and went to jail, Arkham Asylum only coming into being in the early 1970's, so he could get the location of some hidden loot from another patient.)

Re: Mod Note

[aeka]

I appreciate your concern, but hebephrenia being a sub-type of schizophrenia doesn't mean 'schizophrenic' is being appropriately used here since (a) it's being used negatively to describe a character's behaviour, and (b) schizophrenia comprises of at least three other disorders, which the word 'schizophrenic' also effectively covers.

The fact that you are making this argument about the 1950s Joker (and the Joker of this story is from 2013 in a completely different continuity) makes this point completely irrelevant.

[lucky_gamble]

James and Joker...married? I want to go there.

[jlroberson]

Isn't this the same James Gordon whose infant life Batman saved?

[darkknightjrk]

Yup. He appeared a couple of times, but nothing substantial was done with him until Snyder started using him in The Black Mirror.

[icon_uk]

Aside from the WORST case of "Rapid Aging Character Syndrome" this side of the original Duella Dent.

[jlroberson]

Especially if in the current continuity Batman has only existed for 5 years.

[big_daddy_d]

You know, I remember James Jr. being in The Dark Knight and saved from Two-Face by Bats. In the end when he asks if Batman would be seen again, today and in light of him turning out to be a remorseless killer, I always offer my response, "Don't worry. The path you're on, you will be seeing him soon enough."

[darkknightjrk]

Pretty deftly handled by Gail here--she did what she had to do for the crossover, but she used it to add some question marks and worry when it comes to her emotions with Joker. Would she have pulled the trigger on Joker if she had the opportunity? We don't know, and, most importantly, she doesn't know.

Also, I like that this shows that Joker will finally be back in his classic suit for the Family Dinner. :)

[bradygirl_12]

I really love the art in this book. That panel of Barbara strangling the Joker is superb. The expression on Barbara's face is priceless.

[randyripoff]

When Benes tones down the cheesecake, he's actually a pretty decent artist.

[shadowpsykie]

one thing i like about him is that he does as much beefcake as he does cheesecake when there are men present

[shadwing]

Saying that Benes (Chastity) and Reis (Lady Death) both got their starts working for Chaos! Comics. It's not too shocking that they know how to bring on the pretty.

Say what you want about the stories...but Chaos! knew how to pick the sweet artists.

[onceaskrull]

I think it depends on who is on inks. I cannot stand his Justice League of America and BoP art because all the women have the exact same expression/body-type. Even beyond his standard butt-thrust poses, it's distracting. Personal opinion, of course.

[shadwing]

Also looks like they didn't completely ink that page, only the side panels, and parts of the main bleed page, you can see the pencil shading under the CGI color, gives a whole nother feel to the page. Making a very distinct look to the 'dream' panel to contrast from the 'reality' ones

[jlroberson]

I actually didn't realize this was Benes when I first read the story because of that.

[zechs80]

Meh.. so the Joker wins? Kind of disappointing. I wanted some good satisfaction here after what sixteen issues of build-up toward this.

[kenn_el]

It's part of a crossover with Batman's book, so nothing could be resolved in this. It's yet another reason why keeping TKJ in the 'new' universe sucks. Joker might be Barbara's 'nemesis', but she is not his. Any resolution will always be between Batman and Joker.

[aeka]

I agree with kenn_el, this is a crossover with Batman's book and not an independent story arc for Batgirl. As far as I know, all of the Bat book crossovers are going to end in Batman #17 next month.

[zechs80]

Still, from issue one all Gail has been constantly referencing is the TKJ. There should be at least some closure at least in Babs' mind, but nope editorial gotta shoe horn in that whatever's in the sliver platter.

I'm just saying that for a "rematch" this is less than Bedard's and still not as satisfying as Dixon's (I still enjoyed Lefty). True both didn't be hampered by event's but it just feels weak on DC Editorial part given the outcome is enforced via this edict put out on all Bat books. All the Bat Family gotta fall for Joker's new plot armor. Plus to learn Babs' "fate" we have to pick-up Batman #17? Even if she and Jason along with the rest gang up and beat the tar out of the Joker. This sort of plot reeks too much of 90s Marvel. At least with Court the x-over could allow Gail to tell her own thing with the Talon. Here? It feels compressed and honestly, the event suffers. For me anyway.

[jlbarnett]

James Gordon Jr. is a terrible character.

[jlroberson]

But a useful plot device.

[mrstatham]

Agreed. So much. I didn't much mind it when Snyder was doing Black Mirror, because he was a legitimately creepy character there, especially with the added mystery of him. Here, he's basically been 'HOHOHOHO, I AM EVIL BROTHER!' from square one.

[espanolbot]

Basically, yeah. Some concepts work better when they're used by the original creator/revamp person. He worked in Black Mirror due to the mystery as to whether he's genuinely bad, someone genuinely making an effort to fit in despite having mental health issues, or just being a manipulative so and so. Well, until the reveal at least, then it became an issue as to what he'd do next to the heroes and what his plan was...

In Batgirl he's more like a malicious version of Dexter or something.